Red Sox Journal: Now at DH, mix and match

For most of the spring, manager John Farrell said his designated hitter in David Ortiz’s absence would be determined by matchups. Right now, that’s his way of saying a platoon.

Comment

By
TIM BRITTON
Posted Apr. 3, 2013 @ 9:58 pm

NEW YORK — For most of the spring, manager John Farrell said his designated hitter in David Ortiz’s absence would be determined by matchups. Right now, that’s his way of saying a platoon.

Daniel Nava got the nod at DH on Wednesday against right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, one game after Jonny Gomes started against lefty CC Sabathia. Farrell said that will be how the Red Sox handle the position for now.

“Matchups right- and left-handed with the two that we’re talking about initially,” Farrell said. “Until we get into a stretch of everyday games, who might need a spot at the DH slot to get them off their feet for a day, that remains to be seen. That would be the intent as we go through a six, seven, eight consecutive days.”

Farrell said Gomes would eventually see time against right-handers, noting the clean single he had Monday against New York reliever Joba Chamberlain.

“The one thing Jonny was pretty clear about in spring training was maybe simplifying his approach against right-handers and being more clear with what he was looking for in certain counts,” the manager said. “You don’t want to over-examine one at-bat, but I thought he swung the bat well against righties in spring training.”

The switch-hitting Nava, for his sake, said he wasn’t changing the way he approaches his preparation just because the large majority of his at-bats will come as a left-handed hitter.

“It just makes me want to work even harder to get that other side better,” Nava said. “Every switch-hitter wants to feel they’re perceived as a guy who can hit from both sides and do it well. It’s definitely something I take as a challenge.

“It’d be a lie to say I’m not aware of what I’m doing well and what I’m not doing well. I know one side is not as strong as I’d like it to be. Is it frustrating? Yeah, it’s frustrating on my end. It’s not frustrating that someone else can see that, because that’s what they see. It’s frustrating on my end that I’m not doing everything I feel I can do.”

Nava hit just .185 in 95 plate appearances as a right-handed hitter in 2012. But in 2011 at Pawtucket, his average against lefties (.283) was actually better than it was against righties (.262).

Only 30?

Ryan Dempster has a modest goal for himself this season.

“My goal is 30 wins,” the right-hander deadpanned on Wednesday. “If I could win 30 games, I’m going to take that. I won’t get greedy and ask for 33 or 34. I’m just going to try to do that.”

Dempster will make his Red Sox debut on Thursday night in the Bronx, a day the veteran said still created some anxiety.

“You get that anxious feeling that you want the season to start,” he said. “Even though it started on Monday, for me it starts on Thursday. Just looking forward to going out there and getting that first one out of the way.”

Dempster had a nice spring training — not thrilling, but nice. He compiled a 3.74 ERA in 212/3 innings, striking out 14 and walking seven.

“I know I’ve only been here for seven weeks, but I feel like I’ve been with these guys for a long time,” Dempster said. “Everyone here gets along real well, we’ve bonded really well. It’s just another start: go out there and do what I can, try to give us a chance to win the game.”

Dempster has made one start at Yankee Stadium before allowing eight earned runs in six innings as a Ranger last season.

Timetable for Ortiz

Ortiz is scheduled to play a game in extended spring training on Monday before moving on to a rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket. If Ortiz can receive roughly 25 to 30 at-bats at Pawtucket without an issue, he could be back with the Red Sox by the third week of April, Farrell said.

Ortiz was brief in his response to that news.

“Sounds good,” the designated hitter said.

Ortiz has run in the outfield recently, and he’s expected to run the bases down in Florida sometime this weekend. It’s not clear yet how many games in extended spring Ortiz will play before joining Pawtucket. The PawSox have their home opener April 11. (It would be surprising if the Red Sox had Ortiz join the PawSox in Lehigh Valley right at the end of their road trip.)

“When that rehab assignment begins remains to be seen., but we’re still hopeful of a target time frame sometime in the middle or the third week of April,” Farrell said.

Doing the math, the ideal timetable might be this: Ortiz plays the entirety of Pawtucket’s eight-game homestand from April 11 through 18, and then rejoins the Red Sox when they return to Fenway on April 19 to host the Royals. (That would be somewhat ironic timing, given that Ortiz’s one-game return last August also came against Kansas City.)

Drew in Double-A

After playing two games at extended spring training, shortstop Stephen Drew will begin his rehab assignment Thursday with Double-A Portland. It’s the Sea Dogs’ opener against the Trenton Thunder.

Drew is currently on the seven-day disabled list for his concussion, which means he can play in a maximum of five rehab games. Farrell said the team has planned out at least four games for Drew with Portland. That could mean he’s back with the Red Sox on Monday for the team’s home opener against the Orioles.

“He started to turn the corner in terms of day-to-day feeling consistent without the spinning sensation that he was going through,” Farrell said. “The game speed he’s been involved with — that hasn’t increased any of those symptoms. He’s in a good place right now, all things considered.”